Here we are, poised on the biggest game around these parts in 9+ years, and the comparisons to the 1981 team are a bit eerie. Beyond the fact the Niners are playing in the same dump of a stadium while some other teams have gone through 2 stadiums (hello Detroit) in that time frame is only the beginning. Starting with the owner, you have in Jed York a similar figure to you Eddie DeBartolo. Both are young upstarts who didn’t bring a hell of a lot of experience other than being the son of a very wealthy dad. Eddie got the Niners because his father was not allowed to own a hockey team and a football team at the same time. Jed got the Niners from his dad because Dr. John was an inept buffoon who charged the team for every bottle of water they drank, dismantled one of the greatest dynasties in sports, and let the stadium bond that Eddie fought so hard to get die on the vine.
The 1980 Niners posted a 6-10 record amidst guarded hope that the team was at least heading in the right direction under Bill Walsh. The 2010 Niners posted a 6-10 record amidst the crumbling regime of one Aluminum Mike Singletary. Walsh came in as an offensive wizard who made his bobnes under legendary Paul Brown. Harbaugh came in as an overachieving quarterback who willed his teams to improbable victories, and as a coach is being heralded as an offensive visionary who has done well in developing quarterbacks like Josh Johnson, Andrew Luck, and now Alex Smith. The 1981 season, very much like the 2011 season, started with a lot of questions, and a bit of hope. The 1981 draft provided the 49ers with a brand-new defensive backfield (minus Dwight Hicks). The 2011 draft provided the 49ers with a bunch of depth at important positions (RB, CB, O line), a starting FB, and a pre-eminent pass rusher. A huge key to the success of both teams.
Both teams started their seasons tentatively. The 1981 Niners lost to Detroit and Atlanta to post a 1-2 record out of the gate. At that point in the season, it was like, well, they could go 8-8. Wait til next year. This year’s Niners won a fairly pedestrian game against Seattle, and lost a close one at home to Dallas. At the time, I thought, well, we’ll be 8-8, but it might win the division. Let’s just keep seeing incrememtal improvement, and wait til next year.
The 1981 Niners then reeled off 7 straight wins. Along the way, beating powerhouses like Washington, Dallas, and Pittsburgh. The 2011 Niners did them one better and won 8 straight, beating playoff teams like Cincy, Detroit, and the NYFGs. Both teams finished strong to end the year at 13-3 and vastly exceeded the expectations of a hungry fan base. This team is playing with a highly rated defense and an underrated offense. The 1981 Niners were a highly rated offense with an underrated defense.
In 1981, the 49ers were the surprise #1 seed. This year, the surprise #2 seed. Forget Tim Tebow, tomorrow will be the next step to see if this truly is a magical season (and yes, even with a loss tomorrow, the season was an unmitigated success) for the 49ers that leads them and their fans to Super Bowl XLVI.
Forty Niners Forever 
Hats off to Alex Smith.
He earned his bones in this 4th quarter, in spades.
Holy Shit, what a 4th quarter, what a game!!!…..
Way cool snarkk, gotta love it!
So I guess we all just became the biggest Eli and G-Men fans in the world.
Bring the NFC Championship back to SF!
You mean Eli Whiteside fan Dennis? hehe
Kat, you know damn well better than that — NO Whitey!
I have finally peeled myself off the ceiling of my living room….
Alex’s designed run (which I called for all game) combined with his engineering of the final drive under 2 minutes, cements him as one of the tope 3 49er quarterbacks of all time. End of story……..
ps–don’t forget, he did ALL of this with today with zero receivers…….
How bout the decibel level? Blow out any windows?
no, I was cool. I punched my hand so hard I thought I might need to go to ER but I’m cool. Quiet celebration in the face of an epic moment is what stays with you forever….
Excellent game from the QB, TE and coaches. Fantastic
“cements (Alex) as one of the top 3 49ers quarterbacks of all time?
1. Joe
2. Steve
3. Brodie
4. Y.A.
5. Frankie Albert
Go back to your living room ceiling.
What the hell, NFL, ESPN all have NO head coach!
Good that will piss the D off even more!
Don;t know what went on, but I had a party here, and I must say, anyone dogging Smith has a fucking screw loose. That was 2 of the biggest most pressure packed drives in the past 20 years.
Good for Alex. Fucking VD had the game of the century right there.
Epic game Chuck. I’ll have to watch, listen later as the bandwidth crapped out over here.
Now about my 38-31 winning call- just ship the case of 15 year old Tanduay to the US consulate in Cebu, Philippines. I’ll make a special trip.
Cheers gentlemen!
Dennis, I’m assuming you’re nealing down now for a face-blast of the century……..
Equal time of possession, NO 72 more yards of O, but that 5 turn overs was the key
I have to say that the Alex run and then the pass to Vernon! Quite possibly the best two plays of game IMO
That game just put the shovel in the ground for the new Santa Clara stadium….
Agreed.
Yeah you tell em Vernon.It aint over yet,keep busting your asses.And by the way Who has it better then us? NOBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brady is already eating Bronco burgers for dinner. This looks ugly already…
I believe Phil wins the prize for closest prediction score in his own little contest.
I just hate it when the commish or the guy running the football pool wins the damn thing. 😀
The fix was in.
Absolutely I had a chat with the Big Guy- last week? Nailed it!
Just following in yer masterful footsteps Big D,. Chuck will scream bloody murder and refuse the big prize…
there isn’t a team out there that this team can’t beat. they may not beat them, but there isn’t one they can’t beat.
walking around the house with a shit eating grin when i realize: i’m basking!
If this team had a good set of receivers, they just might not be stoppable.
The final score doesn’t indicate how well the Niner defense played. The Saints passing game is like a machine.
Fantastic effort by both teams. That was what playoffs are all about…
Alex ran the 2 minute drill as well as any QB in the league? Doomin, is Alex a pro bowl quality yet?
I’m still speechless- I’m so happy for this team that I can’t even gloat to Dennis. It does seem almost cruel, though, that after one of the clutch performances by any SF QB, Alex was still 1 yard short of that elusive 300..
I dont give a sh!t about his passing yards and neither do you. His epic run (which I called for) and his brilliant engineering of the final drive trumps any passing yard stat…
Of course DT will still tell you it’s all about romo, brees, etc. He’s a little slow to catch on but he’ll get it one day…
It was just weird. Of course I don’t give a rat’s ass about one fucking yard. I looked at the stats and it surprised me.
Just saw a replay of that Whitner unloading on the Saints back at the goal line in the first quarter.
That was a statement hit right there. Set the tone to get all the rest of those turnovers….
Yeah and Davis steamrolled Harper on the TD catch Snarkk.He is still seeing stars.
Harper is good and he caused us trouble all game so when I finally got the internet working again it was great to see him laying in the EZ useless. Vernon is a load!
Actually, it is time to point out another thing Dennis was dead wrong about: we just won a playoff gm that he said we were supposed to gave bought a ticket to. How’d we do that? Lqtm. Take dennis’s picks and go oppo— I had a guy in college who made a lot of $ for me that way…
Flav, I’ve been dead wrong my WHOLE entire life. You and others reminding and exulting in that fact is of no consequence to me. As they say, “tell me something I don’t know.”
As I said, it’s a nice arrow to follow— the other way. The thing I don’t get about you is why you’re so fucking stubborn. Why don’t you just listen to people? You just stick to your same mantra. Seems to me, you’d recognize you don’t know what the fuck you’re doing and take a different path. But whatever, keep doing what you’re doing. It isn’t working but it’s what you know, so carry on….
So are you dubbing me the “George Costanza” of the blogs? I take that as a compliment. George is one of my heroes…
I’m sorry the answer we were looking for was “Moops.”
Don’t want to jump the gun here, but IF the Packers do win tomorrow…something tells me we’ll hear just a little bit of the Smith/Rodgers draft choices back in ’05. Smith vs Rodgers in the NFC Championship Game. Good stuff, Maynard.